The present invention relates to electrical receptacles. In particular, this invention relates to electrical receptacles capable of being electrically coupled together without electrical wires.
Multiple receptacles such as duplex receptacles have long been used in wall outlets, power strips and extension boxes for supplying power to electrical devices, such as refrigerators, fans, electric typewriter, and the like. As an example, FIG. 1 illustrates how a single duplex receptacle 16 is used in a typical wall outlet 30. The duplex receptacle 16 includes two receptacles 20 each having apertures to receive a plug 39. A neutral prong 41 may be received into a neutral aperture 24 of the receptacles 20. A hot prong 40 of the plug 39 may be received into a hot aperture 22 of the receptacles 20, whereas a ground prong 42 may be received into a ground aperture 26 of the receptacles 20. The duplex receptacle 16 further includes a ground screw 50 for connection via a wire to the ground of the power line. Similarly, a hot screw 51 and a neutral screw 52 of the duplex receptacle 16 connect via wires to the power source. Screws 50, 51,52 are typically used to catch and to hold the connection wires. The duplex receptacle 16 is further configured to electrically couple the hot 51, neutral 52 and ground 50 screws to the hot 40, neutral 41 and ground 42 prongs, respectively, of the plug 39 that are inserted into the receptacle apertures 22,24,26. If instead of screws 50,51,52 and that other means are used in their place, these means continue to function for the receptacle to catch and hold connection wires. The entire duplex receptacle 16 is fitted into the inside of a outlet box 28 of the wall outlet 30. It is further screwed onto the outlet box 28 through the holes in the mounting flanges 60 of the duplex receptacle 16 and through mounting holes 38 of the outlet box 28. Finally, the wall outlet 30 is operatively formed when a wall plate (not shown) is then screwed onto the outlet box 28 using a wall plate screw hole 32 of the duplex receptacle 16.
The configuration such as in this typical duplex receptacle 16 is adequate for use in the formation of wall outlets. However, it is disadvantageous for power strip and extension box applications. For instance, an elongated, generally rectangular-box shaped power strip adapter having six receptacles may have inside the housing of the power strip three duplex receptacles (without the mounting flanges 60) linearly-aligned and electrically-connected to each other via electrical wires. Namely, in order to operate the power strip properly, the neutral, hot and ground screws of one of the three duplex receptacles have to be connected to those of the other two via wires. This increases the size and costs of the power strip. In addition, it increases the risks of electrical shorts and fires because of the use of wires.
Thus, there is a continuing need for an improved electrical receptacle where the use of electrical wires for connection is greatly minimized or completely eliminated. This need is particularly keen in the case when two or more of these electrical receptacles are to be electrically coupled together in adapter products such as power strips or extension boxes.
The present invention is an electrical receptacle having a generally rectangular-box shaped housing. The housing also contains plug apertures for receiving a power plug and for supplying power to an electrical device to which the plug is connected. This receptacle has metal contact strips extending outward from two opposite side faces of the receptacle housing. These metal contact strips are adapted to be separately and electrically coupled to the hot, neutral and ground prongs of the power plug when it is plugged into the plug apertures of the receptacle. The receptacle embodiments of the present invention are further configured so that when the metal-strip sides of two of such receptacles are disposed in close proximity of each other, the metal contact strips of the receptacles would then be physically paired. The metal contacts are paired in a manner whereby electrical connection is established and whereby the two receptacles are easily fastened. One preferred way to fasten the receptacles is through soldering together each of the metal contact pairs. Another aspect of the present invention includes catch members disposed at the first ends of metal contact strips. So when paired, second ends of metal contact strips for one receptacle are caught in the catch members of the first ends of the metal contact strips of another receptacle.
Preferred embodiments of the present invention include three metal contact strips, namely hot, neutral and ground strips, each disposed in and extending through the receptacle housing. Each metal strip is configured in combination with the physical structures internal to the receptacle housing so that the hot, neutral and ground prongs of the power plug that is inserted into the receptacle apertures are electrically coupled to the hot, neutral and ground metal strips respectively.